History of legal education in Serbia

The roots of law, legal thought and education in Serbia go back to the 13th century. This is owed to Rastko Nemanjić, who was declared a saint under the name St. Sava. Rastko, the brother of the first Serbian king Stefan Nemanjić, was the founder of not only the ecclesiastical independence ( of the Serbian church in 1219), but he also has instituted the Serbian education, literature, health, the legal system and science.

At the same time when John of England released the famous Magna Carta Libertatum in Latin, in Serbia St. Sava has prepared and published in his native language a collection of both church and secular regulations under the name Nomocanon (Serbian: Zakonopravilo). In conjunction with the monumental lawmaking initiative of Stefan Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia in 1349, the Dušan's Code, which was written in Serbian as well, these acts constitute the foundation of the Serbian legal culture. Even during the long-lasting rule of the Turks, which began in the mid-15th century, Serbian law has survived through the practice of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which still considers the Nomocanon its official codex. However, only liberation from the Turkish authorities, starting in the 19th century, enabled the full bloom of Serbian legal science and education.

At some stage in the struggle for national liberation from the Turks during the First Serbian Uprising that started in 1804, the Belgrade Higher School was founded in 1808. The classes lasted three years and in addition to general subjects the curriculum included comparative and state (constitutional) law, international law, criminal law and judicial procedure. Therefore, there are many historians who believe that it is justified to perceive that the foundation of modern education in Serbia was the Higher School and the year 1808. This year is taken as the date when the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law was established.

...
Wikipedia